Excitment

Saturday 10 september. 4 miles

Picked up at 1030 and into Congleton market to buy some Oatcakes & black pudding. We have now discovered that Real Oatcakes (not supermarket ones) have a far superior taste and are eating them almost every lunchtime. Today is Heritage day and there are some places to visit for free. First stop is the Church where I take the opportunity to be a Campanologist. I Climb up a spiral staircase to the bell ringers level where I get an insight into the workings of the bells. At my request they give a demonstration of a 3 bells peel. When they have finished the question is "does anyone want to try". Too right I do so after a bit more instruction and under dual control I get to ring one of 8 bells in their tower. We look through the church, visit an 18th century bath house in a private garden, check out some old buildings we had not seen before, then return to the boat for Black pudding Oatcakes. When it was time to sail off we had an additional 3 crew members join us. Marion looks after her 5 & 7 year old great grand daughters after school and often takes them for a walk along the towpath where they are always asking to go on stranger's boats. They didn't know what was planned so too very excited little girls and their Great Grandma travel about 2 1/2 miles to the last bridge where they can get off. Alan has driven there to pick them up. As we approached the first bridge the girls notice their Grand Ma and Pa on the bridge. They have come on their bikes and follow along the towpath.